Team Budget Forklifts - Introduction

 

Team Budget Forklifts is a Men's Cycling Team competing in UCI Continental Races on both the Oceania and Asian Continental Circuits. The Team also competes in the National Road Series throughout Australia. Formed in 2008 the Team has already impacted greatly on Australian Cycling.

The team is made up from a mix of more experienced riders to very young riders, the idea being the young riders are mentored and reach their full potential.

 

 

 

Team Budget Forklifts - HISTORY

 

April 2008. - Budget Forklifts call for nominations for  Elite Cycling Team

 

Having already sponsored Rick Lee’s highly successful Cyclewestcoach.com Development Program, Western Australian company Budget Forklifts considered that cycling as a very good tool to promote their business and planned to enter a team in the 2008 Elite Mens National Road scene, calling for applications from riders through out Australia in April/May 08

 

 

 

31st May 2008.- Budget Forklifts name initial Elite Cycling Squad

 

Team Budget Forklifts, has released its initial squad of 14 riders to contest the 2008 NRS Team events.

Cyclewestcoach.com announced that 2 would need to drop back to the Shadow Squad, so that a final team of 12 could be registered.

Initial Team Budget Forklifts A Squad:

Brad Hall – WA Michael Freiberg – WA, Abram Manion – TAS, Peter Ladd – Vic, Peter Smith – Vic, Blair Windsor – NSW, Brock Roberts – NSW, Blair Martin – NSW, Jay Bourke – VIC,  Damian Turner – Vic,  Thomas Richards – QLD,  Luke Durbridge – WA,  Sam Moorhouse – NSW and Andrew Crawley – NSW

The B [Shadow] Team: 

Peter Thompson – QLD, Geoff Straub – NSW, Alex Malone – NSW, Michael Orr – NSW, Justin Morris – NSW,  Jordan van der Togt – WA,  Craig Davies – WA,  Greg Mayer – WA, Nathan Jones – WA and Jules Galli – NSW

 

More Info - CLICK HERE

 

 

July 2008.- Team Budget Forklifts register initial National Elite team

 

With Cycling Australia guaranteeing increased exposure for the 2008 series with the announcement that SBS TV has agreed to broadcast half-hour highlights packages of the five NRS team events, both Budget Forklifts and Shotz Sports Nutrition are keen to increase their commitment to Australian Cycling and fast track plans to back an Elite Men’s Cycling team to contest the major events on the Australian Domestic Cycling scene.

The teams initial plans to pick a squad and shadow team to back a National registered team has been discarded with team owners signing a preliminary 7 man team for the first NRS events, with further changes expected later in the year as the team aims at further advances in profile on the domestic cycling scene.

 

Team Budget Forklifts team roster: - Jay Bourke [VIC], Abe Manion [TAS], Sam Moorhouse [NSW], Thomas Richards [QLD], Brock Roberts [NSW/NZ], Damien Turner [VIC], Blair Windsor [NSW] Director Sportif – Mark Windsor

 

More Info - CLICK HERE

 

 

August 2008. - Team Budget Forklifts continue to increase profile

 

Team Budget Forklifts roster continues to change as the team looks to lift its profile on the Australian Cycling Scene. The Team securing the services of AIS/Plan B rider Ben King for this weekend’s Ballarat GP, before contesting the 2nd round of the National Team Competition at the Tour of Murray early in September.

 

The Western Australia based team will be represented by Blair Windsor (NSW), Jay Bourke (VIC),  Damian Turner (VIC) and Ben King (WA) and Director Mark Windsor (NSW) at the Ballarat event.

 

More info - CLICK HERE.

 

 

August 2008.- Team Budget Forklifts sign riders and staff from Queensland GE Investments team

 

After discussion between Team Director and Team Budget Forklifts Owner & Sponsors and GE Investment’s (Ord Minnett/Triple Play) Jeremy Betts, BFL’s signed a number of Queenslanders from the old Ord Minnett team with the view to getting a start in the 2008 Herald Sun tour. The team having instant sucess winning stages at the Tour of the Murray NRS Event (Ben King, Malcolm Rudolph stage winners)

 

 

Sept 2008 Budget Forklifts sign international cyclists for Tour of Tasmania

 

English professionals Kristian House and Tom Southam were temporarily brought into the Team to further increase Budget Forklifts Profile. Kristian House wearing the yellow jersey 2008 Tour of Tasmania.

 

 

October 2008 - Team Budget Forklifts race there first UCI event:

 

A major goal is achieved with Team Budget Forklifts riding the 2008 UCI Continental “Jayco Herald sun tour”, the team having a solid race with Mal Rudolph wearing the young riders jersey.

The Team for BFL’s first Continental start in the Sun Tour was:- Jack Anderson, Michael England, Cameron Hughes, Peter Ladd, Cameron Jennings, Mal Rudolph: Director - Jeremy Betts.

 

January 2009 – Official Budget Forklifts Continental Team Launch

 

In a Gala Function at the elegant Werribee Mansion the new Budget Forklifts Continental Team was launched on January 2009. Cycling royalty Phil Liggett was helicoptered in to be on hand with the National & Cycling media to welcome Australia’s latest UCI team and congratulate team owner Tim Leunig on his investment and work to get the project off the ground.  

Budget Forklifts Continental Team Roster: Jack Anderson, Michael England, Cameron Hughes, Grant Irwin, Peter Ladd, Cameron Jennings, Craig McCartney, Abe Manian, Mal Rudolph, Blair Windsor: Director - Jeremy Betts

 

 

January 2009 - Team Budget Forklifts set to stamp itself on the local cycling scene

 

Budget Forklifts Team owner Tim Leunig and Manager Jeremey Betts commit to an ambishious program with the team racing the Bay Classic before the National championship and Oceania Titles. At the Nationals Michael England picked up the Sprint Jersey in the Elite event and Mal Rudolph in the U23 eventt, and then  Jack Anderson won the U23s TT title at the Oceania Championships.

 

 

January 2009 - Team Budget Forklifts goes international

 

With the team establishing itself on the national scene the next challenge is international events, First the team talking on the Oceania Continental event “The Trust House Tour of Wellington” in New Zealand, followed by Tour of Singkarak in Asia. The steady development of the team highlighted in the New Zealand with Budget Forklifts winning the stage 1 Teams Time Trial (TBFL team - Mal Rudolph, Cody Stevenson, Craig McCartney, Jack Anderson, Cameron Hughes) in New Zealand. Then repeating the performance in Malaysia when Mal Rudolph, Cody Stevenson, Craig McCartney, Jack Anderson and Cameron Hughes won the Team Time Trial, with Cameron Jennings finishing on the podium

 

 

Mid 2009 - Richard Lang joins Team Budget Forklifts.

 

Preparing for the 2009 National Road Series, Richard Lang signs with TBFL. The NSW national track champ giving the team a lot of punch in the sprint events and setting up the Team to become a major force on the Australian Cycling Scene in 2009. Richard Lang winning the 2009 Tour of Perth and Goulburn to Citi, in which Richard Lang, Peter Herzig, Blair Windsor Mal Rudolph, Cam Jennings, Michael England, Peter Ladd also won the team category. While Mal Rudolph won the 2009 Grafton to Inverell and Cam Jenning took out the Shipwreck Coast Classic